Last week, I showed my dress for the I [heart] Marcel Marlier series. Since then, requests to explain how I created the color blocked sleeves have been pouring in by the dozens*. So here is my Colorblocked Sleeves Tutorial.
TUTORIAL
Step 1. Take your sleeve pattern, and mark the seam allowance and hem allowances on your pattern.
Note: Do you work with a pattern in which seam allowances are not included? Add them to your pattern now (also at the underarm edges).
Step 2. Mark the middle on the underarm edges and on the center of your sleeve, in both cases excluding the seam and hem allowance.
Note: using a longer sleeve? You might want to change the position of the marks (e.g. higher up on the sleeve)
Step 3. Connect the marks you just made with a sloping line.
Step 4. Write “Seam allowance!” along both sides of the sloping line, so that you do not forget to add SA in step 5. Cut your sleeve pattern in two along the sloping line.
Step 5. Put your pattern pieces on two double folded pieces of fabric (so that you have a mirrored pair of each). Cut out, adding seam allowance along both sides of the sloping line.
Note: How much seam allowance you add depends on how you decide to finish off the sleeve in step 6. For option A, add 0,7 cm (1/4″); for option B, add 1,2 cm (3/8″).
You should end up with something like this:
Step 6. Now we just have to assemble the sleeves. Two options here:
Option A: Fast and easy. Serge or zigzag the sloping edge of both pieces. Stitch them together with right sides together, using a 0,7 cm (1/4″) allowance. Press seams open.
Option B: Nice and neat. For a cleaner finish, you can use a French seam. The outside of the sleeve will look exactly the same as in option B, but the inside (which is sometimes exposed when you lift your arm) will look much cleaner. The steps below expain how to do this.
*Yeah I totally made that up.
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hoe teken je een mouw voor de Hanami, ik heb wel een mouw van de Tiny, maar ik dacht dat het armsgat groter is van de Tiny, of kan dat met die mouw ?
Groetjes Natacha
Haha, made up or not I am excited to try out this trick! Thanks.
Thanks, An, I will be using this for sure! (and I laughed out loud with your * :-D)
Thank you for sharing this tutorial! I've got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for tomorrow evening that links to it:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-color-blocked-cap-sleeves/2014/10/01/
–Anne
Thank you An, I'll keep it in mind (and on my board) for a next cousette !
Oh I wanna try this!! Thanks for the tutorial, An. 🙂
Thanks Kristin 🙂
Ja het armsgat van de Tiny is inderdaad groter. Een mouw tekenen is nu wel iets dat je niet zomaar in 1-2-3 kan uitleggen, dat is echt al wat technisch met formules en zo. Welke maat heb je precies nodig Natacha?
Thank you so much, dear Anne!
Great to hear that my tutorial will actually be used 🙂 Thanks, Valerie!
Hoera – daar kijk ik alvast naar uit! En een beetje zelfrelativering is altijd grappig vind ik zo ;-p
Totally love your little star-comment!
that footnote is amazing! love you! and the colorblocked sleeves will get used…
Great tutorial! I usually do the lazy man's way and just add a contrasting cuff. This will get used.